Creative Director, Storyteller & Author

Matt Knisely is an Emmy Award winning visual storyteller, creative director and author who loves telling stories of the extraordinary in the ordinary. He has been described as “one of the most versatile photojournalists working today,” and has a national reputation for his unique approach to visual storytelling.

He is the creative director for Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas. Matt is also a storytelling consultant for several Fortune 500 companies and big brand agencies. His work has also won many honors, including the Edward R. Murrow Award for photography.

Work

2013 Demo Reel

In 2013 I uncovered that the grandness of life is made up of the small moments we are present for, that we have been designed to live our lives in the moment: to focus on the things that matter. Just like a photographer we need to be intoxicated in the present—the here and the now—so we can see the beauty right in front of us and focus on the right thing. Enjoy a small collection of my favorite moments and stories I had the honor to develop, oversee, produce, shoot and tell this past year.

Kelly's Story

In an instant, Kelly Magouirk’s life changed when she said yes to God. Choosing God meant turning her back on the meth addiction that sustained her, yet held her captive for many years. An arrest and time spent in jail would likely bring most people to repentance, but, it was a still, small voice that called Kelly from the den of her drug dealer to a new life in Christ. Kelly’s story will give you hope, encourage you, and remind you that God can, and will, redeem all things. Role: Executive Producer and Story Producer.

Whats Your ACTIVE!

Found in You

A video produced for the open of Gateway’s 2014 Mens Summit. Played in accordance with a series of live elements in our main auditorium. Check out this link to see the full experience (cut in with live elements): youtu.be/9SHDalYvLHY Role: Executive Producer and Live Element Creative Producer

The King's University

This was a film produced to celebrate Pastor Jack Hayford on his 80th Birthday and honor the incredible past and present of The King’s University; a Bible school founded by Pastor Jack that has raised up thousands of leaders and ministers over the course of the last two-and-a-half decades. Role: Executive Producer and Story Producer.

The Global Leadership Summit

The Global Leadership Summit is a two-day, world-class leadership event experienced by more than 170,000 leaders around the world, representing more than 14,000 churches. It’s telecast LIVE from Willow’s campus (near Chicago) every August. Throughout the fall, Summit events take place in an additional 300+ cities, 92 countries—and translated into 42 languages. This event is crafted to infuse vision, skill development and inspiration for the sake of local church transformation. Role: Executive Producer, Story Producer, and Second Camera.

Framing Faith is an amazing book and you should buy it.

Like a photographer or storyteller, Jesus exhibited time and again how easy it is to capture moments of profound importance just by noticing, stopping, and responding to his surroundings.

In a world moving way too fast, Framing Faith is a book for people seeking to focus their lives, to find a deeper knowledge of God, and a more authentic Christian faith. In this modern age, many of us fill every “spare” moment we have rather than taking an intermission to see the true works of God and realize that he is present in every moment.

Life is hard and it can sometimes be a challenge just to find the will to live on in the face of all our troubles. But remember, we always fall as we learn to walk. We’re scarred by the simple acts of learning to stand on our own, yet still we force ourselves to stand.